Gor beat Mathare United to keep title chase alive

Champions Gor Mahia refused to surrender their Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title on Sunday after beating 2008 winners Mathare United 2-1 to stretch the battle for the crown with leaders Tusker to next weekend.

Tusker FC will be confirmed league winners with a game to spare should they beat AFC Leopards next week after the title holders ensured the gap at the top remains four points ahead of the penultimate round at Safaricom Stadium in Kasarani.

Francis Kahata and Jacques Tuyisenge netted for the 15-time champions as Crispin Oduor found the consolation for the Slum Boys with the result leaving Gor with 51 points.

Eric Johanna was the first to test Gor keeper Boniface Oluoch only a minute into the game, but would make no further impact in the first half as his marker Eric ‘Marcelo’ Ouma suffocated him out of the game.

Kahata opened the scoring in spectacular fashion in the 19th minute when he sent a 22-yard thunderbolt with Ouma almost doubling the lead in the 35th with his cross-cum-shot that goalkeeper Robert Mboya cleared off the line for a fruitless corner.

Three minutes later, Ouma put Meddie Kagere through but could not beat Oluoch, the only man between him and a second for Gor.

Mathare suffered an injury blow in the 39th when Alphonce Ndonye was stretchered off paving way for Obadiah Ndege.

Ndege almost restored parity in a minute to half time when Oduor picked in him in the box but was beaten to the ball by Oluoch who timed his run off his line to perfection.

Upon resumption, there was more balance both sides showing flashes of attempts.

Mathare boss Francis Kimanzi then withdrew David Mwangi, a defender, for Harrison Mwendwa, a striker.

In the 57th, Oluoch did well to tip out a cleverly taken free-kick by new Harambee Stars call up Robinson Kamura for a fruitless corner.

At the hour mark, Burundi import Karim Nizigiyamana crossed to Tuyisenge whose powerful header left Mboya flat footed as he broke his 13-match goal drought.

It was an emotional moment for the Ksh4m record signing whose tears of joy underscored his inner struggle after notching his first since his brace against Thika United on April 6.

Johanna then sent a powerful 72nd minute drive straight to Ouloch, before Ndege was dispossessed when he was poised to pull the trigger.

Gor head coach, Marcelo ‘Ze Maria’ Ferreira sought to ramp the pressure on Mathare by introducing youthful Amos Nondi for George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo who had endured several knocks in the match.

Oduor pulled one back with nine minutes remaining with Mwendwa providing the assist.

Elsewhere, John Mark Makwatta scored from the spot as Ulinzi Stars overcame Thika United 1-0 in Afraha to take his tally to 13 at the top of the KPL scoring charts alongside AFC Leopard’s Kepha Aswani.

Ulinzi are now fifth on the log with 42 while Thika remains 12th with 31.